Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. anticipates Anaheim fight
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The transition of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. from novelty to title contender will make an important stop Dec. 4 in Anaheim, when the son of the Mexican boxing legend headlines a pay-per-view card at Honda Center versus Alfonso Gomez.
‘This guy’s few losses are against great fighters,’ Chavez Jr. said, referring to Miguel Cotto and Peter Manfredo. ‘Winning for me lends credibility. I know it’s up to me to prove I can beat these types of guys.’
Chavez (41-0-1, 30 KOs) last beat the previously undefeated John Duddy earlier this year in Texas. He’s working with Manny Pacquiao‘s trainer, Freddie Roach, and is now talking about moving from Gomez to a shot at world junior-middleweight champion Cotto of Puerto Rico.
‘If I beat this guy convincingly, why shouldn’t I get the big fights?’ Chavez Jr. asked. ‘Miguel Cotto, to me, is a legend, a champion. It’d be a dream come true.’
Cotto, recovering from shoulder surgery, is currently without an early 2011 fight and could be scheduled against either of tonight’s fighters, Pacquiao or Antonio Margarito, or Chavez, given the circumstances.
A strong pay-per-view draw, Chavez Jr. has also been discussed as a possible foe of Mexico’s popular Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, the problem being the fighters’ respective promoters aren’t dealing with each other.
‘That’s a big fight,’ said Chavez’s co-promoter, Fernando Beltran.
‘Everyone expects that fight to happen,’ Chavez Jr. said. ‘For me, now, Gomez is a lot better than Alvarez.’
Chavez said his father for the first time ever won’t be able to attend one of his fights. He said the elder Chavez is scheduled to undergo ankle and nose surgeries.
‘People expect me to be him -- I can’t,’ Chavez Jr. said. ‘But I do enjoy having those people behind me and I know I need to give them a great performance. I look forward to being there, fighting in [Anaheim], I have family in that area, and I haven’t fought there in a long time.’
-- Lance Pugmire
